The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 New Zealand-American epic high fantasy adventure film^[7][8] directed by Peter Jackson and based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings. It is the second installment in The Lord of the Rings film series, preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluding with The Return of the King(2003).

Continuing the plot of The Fellowship of the Ring, the film intercuts three storylines. Frodo and Sam continue their journey towards Mordor to destroy the One Ring, meeting and joined by Gollum, the ring's former owner. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come to the war-torn nation of Rohan and are reunited with the resurrected Gandalf, before fighting at the Battle of Helm's Deep. Merry and Pippin escape capture, meet Treebeard the Ent, and help to plan an attack on Isengard.

Meeting high critical acclaim, the film was an enormous box-office success, earning over $926 million worldwide and is currently the 42nd highest-grossing film of all time; and also the highest-grossing film of 2002. (inflation-adjusted, it is the 62nd most successful film in North America^[9]). The film won numerous accolades and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Editing.

After awakening from a dream of Gandalf the Grey fighting the Balrog, Frodo Baggins and his friend Samwise Gamgee continue their journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring by throwing it into Mount Doom. They are attacked in the night by Gollum, former owner of the Ring, but they capture him. Sympathising with Gollum for what he perceives as their shared burden, Frodo asks Gollum to lead them safely to Mordor, despite Sam’s objections. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Uruk-hai who kidnapped their friends Merry and Pippin. The Uruk-hai are slaughtered by the Rohirrim, army of Rohan, but the two Hobbits escape into Fangorn Forest where they meet the Ent Treebeard. Aragorn’s group later meet the Rohirrim who have been banished by their king Théoden, who is being manipulated by Saruman’s servant Grima Wormtongue. Tracking the Hobbits in Fangorn, Aragorn’s group encounter a resurrected Gandalf who perished in Moria, but was revived to help save Middle-earth.

Gollum leads Frodo and Sam through the Dead Marshes while evading the Nazgûl. They reach the Black Gate to Mordor but Gollum stops them, saying it's too risky and that there is another entrance, finding himself becoming loyal to Frodo for his kindness. The trio later are captured by the Rangers of Ithilien, led by Faramir, brother of the late Boromir. When Faramir discovers Frodo has the Ring, he intends on taking him to Gondor, capturing Gollum when Frodo exposes him. Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli travel to Rohan’s capital Edoras where Gandalf releases Théoden from Saruman’s power and Wormtongue is banished. Learning Saruman plans on wiping out Rohan with an army of Uruk-hai, Théoden decides to move his citizens to the protection of Helm's Deep, but Gandalf departs to find the Rohirrim who are led by Théoden's nephew Éomer. Aragorn strikes up a friendship with Théoden’s niece Éowyn who quickly becomes infatuated with him. During a Wargattack, Aragorn falls off a cliff into a river, but is found by his horse and taken to Helm’s Deep.

In Fangorn, Merry and Pippin attend an Ent council where they learn Treebeard and the others will not participate in the war. They convince them otherwise after showing them the destruction Saruman has unleashed on the forests around Isengard. The Ents storm Isengard and release the dam placed upon the nearby river, which gushes into Isengard, drowning the Uruk-hai, quenching the fires of its industry, and stranding Saruman in his tower. The Uruk-hai army arrive at Helm’s Deep, finding a makeshift army of civilians and Elves from Rivendell waiting for them. A great battle follows with Théoden losing hope until Aragorn convinces him to ride out and meet them. Gandalf and the Rohirrim arrive, turning the tide of the battle and destroying the Uruk-hai.

Frodo, Sam, and Gollum are taken to the fallen Gondor city Osgiliath but they are attacked by the Nazgûl and Mordor army. Sam informs Faramir of how the Ring nearly drove Boromir mad, stunning Faramir. Frodo is nearly captured by the Nazgûl but Sam tackles him down a flight of stairs, saving him. After the attack ends, Faramir frees the trio and sends them on their way. Gollum, hurt by Frodo’s seeming betrayal, decides to reclaim the Ring by leading Frodo and Sam to a creature he refers to as “Her”, leading them away towards Mordor.